How high can gas go?

[mb]

Shit, premium was $3.79 and diesel was $4.09 at the BP station on my way to work this morning.

<-- Got Shell regular @ $3.249 :-\

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: TallBill
Car companies need to stop selling 30 mpg cars as "high fuel efficiency" when they have the technology for 70+ And consumers need to learn to buy a smaller car.

could not agree more.
i see Chevy? commercials on tv, we have 8 models that get 30 mpg or more!
30 mpg is not good u morons. i had a mid 90's civic that got 40 mpg.

Yes, well the average consumer is a moron. We shouldn't be spending $20+ thousand on transportation anyways. Yes, I would probably buy a tiny little enclosed car that got 100 mpg if it was sub $10,000 and built to last. I just need to get from place to place. I don't care about style, acceleration, or anything else.

I understand what you're saying, but consider this: if we spend 1-2 hours a day in our cars driving (more or less depending on your work commute, other obligations), that is a nice chunk of our lives that are wasted behind the wheel. Little conveniences we pay extra for really matter to some people just like paying a little bit more for a larger house.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: ctark

Originally posted by: jpeyton
How high can Exxon's record breaking profits go?

The answer to both questions go hand-in-hand.

The same profit margin along with increased demand equals increased profit. I hear this argument so much and its one thats not really valid.

Exxon/Mobil Yearly Profits
2002: $11.5 Billion
2007: $40.6 Billion

So basically you're saying demand has jumped 253% since 2002?

Are those profits strictly gasoline profits? What about the candy bars I pick up at the Exxon station that I see at almost every corner now?

 

[ballmode]

I think I'm going to hold onto my integra... 30 MPG on premium beats an economy car that I'd have to take a loan on...

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Aharami

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Aharami

demand for oil has been lower for a while now. Oil isnt being priced solely by supply and demand. Its the futures trading and speculation that's keeping the price of oil artificially inflated

demand of speculators is still demand.

but it's not actual demand by consumers. It's artificial demand

from an economics perspective there is no such thing as artificial demand.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: ballmode
I think I'm going to hold onto my integra... 30 MPG on premium beats an economy car that I'd have to take a loan on...

Why are you using premium on an Integra? I always put regular in mine when I had one.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269

Are those profits strictly gasoline profits? What about the candy bars I pick up at the Exxon station that I see at almost every corner now?

most stations are franchised. so you won't see those sales in exxon's bottom line, for the most part.

most stations make almost nothing on gasoline sales. the few stations owned by the vertically integrated oil companies have historically made as close to zero profit on gas sales as possible. this is because the tax structure was set up to give huge credits for production of a field, so the companies set themselves up to make just about all their profit in production and avoid the most taxes.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I filled up yesterday at $3.97/gallon for premium.

 

[Farley2k]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I filled up yesterday at $3.97/gallon for premium.

Sounds like a lot, but how much more is that then you paid 6 months ago?

 

[paulxcook]

Originally posted by: Aharami
i think i'd ask to be allowed to work from home 3 days out of the week when gas hits $4/gal.

Right now I WFH 2 days

I think we will see more and more of this.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Farley2k

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I filled up yesterday at $3.97/gallon for premium.

Sounds like a lot, but how much more is that then you paid 6 months ago?

Probably around $.40-.50/gallon more.

 

[Modelworks]

They did a survey and asked people what the price of gas would have to be for people to change their driving habits.
The answer: 5.00

 

[Baked]

Drove by Shell this morning on my way to work. 399/415/425. OMFG!

 

[fstime]

Already 3.75 for premium here with the gas station down the street at 3.87.

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
They did a survey and asked people what the price of gas would have to be for people to change their driving habits.
The answer: 5.00

Sounds about right. At that point, I might consider sharing a ride with my fiancee to Baltimore. I guess one of us would have to pick the other up. That can geta bit complicated with our different schedules, especially during a busy accounting season. I dont see myself using any public transportation at the $5/gallon rate though.

 

[Tremulant]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269

Are those profits strictly gasoline profits? What about the candy bars I pick up at the Exxon station that I see at almost every corner now?

most stations are franchised. so you won't see those sales in exxon's bottom line, for the most part.

most stations make almost nothing on gasoline sales. the few stations owned by the vertically integrated oil companies have historically made as close to zero profit on gas sales as possible. this is because the tax structure was set up to give huge credits for production of a field, so the companies set themselves up to make just about all their profit in production and avoid the most taxes.

Yep, gas stations make their money through the convenience store.

 

[fstime]

Thats the problem with this country, in other countries, driving is a PRIVILEGE.

Here in the US, outside of major cities, you need to be able to drive to get somewhere.

The result is licenses are given out very easily to any moron.

I believe in Germany its ~1000 euro for a license. They are also much stricter on the roads, pulling you over for tailgating, slowing down the left lane, etc.

There's no public transportation up here, and bikes are impractical unless you live close-ish to work...not to mention they're absolutely worthless in snow. 4wd is a definite plus, ruling out economy cars...

 

[irishScott]

I hope it skyrockets. SUVs and hummers will finally leave the streets, which will actually do a decent bit for our oil supply.

Not to mention the uneducated masses will finally have a reason to educate themselves about being green.

Edit: What we need is the equivalent of Kennedy and the Moon Landings for Alternative Fuels. Bush and a lot of other ignorant politicians are so stuck on Hydrogen it's pathetic.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Just ride a bike and live close to everything you need. Maybe workplaces and the homes of those working in them will be a lot closer together in the future. Right now too many places are set up in such a way that you need your own car pretty much.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete
Just ride a bike and live close to everything you need.

good idea. to bad not realistic

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete
Just ride a bike and live close to everything you need.

good idea. to bad not realistic

Well yea, not without big changes.

I believe in China everyone used to bike to work, now many drive. But then back to bikes!

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete
Just ride a bike and live close to everything you need.

Ever try to carry a family's worth of groceries on a bike? And I'm just talking bare necessities here, no huge soda containers, no 24 packs of Deer Park. Just cereal, produce, milk, orange juice and meat. I'd have to make about 20 trips for mine.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: irishScott
I hope it skyrockets. SUVs and hummers will finally leave the streets, which will actually do a decent bit for our oil supply.

Not to mention the uneducated masses will finally have a reason to educate themselves about being green.

Edit: What we need is the equivalent of Kennedy and the Moon Landings for Alternative Fuels. Bush and a lot of other ignorant politicians are so stuck up on Hydrogen it's pathetic.

while i agree most don't need SUV's (dont see hummers around here much). if it skyrockets its not going to hummer owners that are goign to really hurt.

but i do agree with your edit.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: TallBill
Car companies need to stop selling 30 mpg cars as "high fuel efficiency" when they have the technology for 70+ And consumers need to learn to buy a smaller car.

could not agree more.
i see Chevy? commercials on tv, we have 8 models that get 30 mpg or more!
30 mpg is not good u morons. i had a mid 90's civic that got 40 mpg.

Hell, Toyota makes a hybrid that gets even less than that

http://www.hybrid-vehicles.net...0h-gs-hybrid-sedan.htm

and not even an SUV

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: ArmchairAthlete
Just ride a bike and live close to everything you need.

good idea. to bad not realistic

Well yea, not without big changes.

I believe in China everyone used to bike to work, now many drive. But then back to bikes!

China is far diffrent then the US. it may work great in China but not going to happen in the US. we are far to spread out.

not to mention many can't move to the city's. i live in a Farming area where mass transit won't happen (hell i would be happy with Cable) and can't afford a house in the city.